Editorial: Scrutinise other state entities too
Newrooms are subjected to all sorts of pressures. It happens around the world and is in no way unique to South Africa.
Politicians are the most zealous when it comes to squeezing the media, but private sector businesses are not without fault, either. They have their own ways of trying to ensure favourable coverage.
Even media owners are known to poke their noses into news agendas from time to time. They do so at considerable risk.
Independent Media’s integrity, for example, has suffered greatly from the intrusions of Iqbal Survé, whose grasp of news gathering is about as wispy as fellow meddler Hlaudi Motsoeneng.
Both have failed to understand the sanctity of the newsroom. They know better, or so they think.
In the case of the SABC, the political interference has reached alarming levels. Motsoeneng has aided and abetted this campaign on behalf of President Jacob Zuma and his cabal, helping himself to riches along the way.
His mismanagement of the public broadcaster was overlooked for a long time until finally parliament grew a backbone and established an inquir y.
The testimony on Monday from some of the broadcaster’s journalists, who were purged by Motsoeneng, was astounding.
Much of it, though, was known to the wider public. But still it shocked, coming as it did from the mouths of those who suffered personally at the hands of Motsoeneng.
They exposed him as a cruel propagandist, which he is. No, he is not the first government mouthpiece to rule the roost at SABC. But he comes across as one of the more unhinged.
Parliament – and the country – finally saw Motsoeneng for what he is: a terrible incarnation of our times.
But this inquiry was established only because of the fissures in the ANC. Had the party maintained its ruse of unity, who knows what untold damage would still be visited on the broadcaster.
For now the courts have dealt with Motsoeneng, ruling against his continued employment. How nice it would be if the same level of scrutiny was applied to other state-owned entities.
